Youth News

Your '18 National Proficiency Award Winner in Community Development - Wyatt Hancock of Oologah

Fri, 26 Oct 2018 16:06:47 CDT

The Agricultural Proficiency Awards honor FFA members who, through their Supervised Agricultural Experiences have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers. Students can compete for awards in 47 areas covering everything from Agricultural Communications to Wildlife Management. Each award area has two categories, placement and entrepreneurship- although in some award area- those two categories are combined.

Placement proficiency awards are given to those whose SAEs are related to employment, apprenticeships, or internships at an agribusiness or agriculture-related organization. Entrepreneurship proficiency awards are given to those whose SAEs are related to ownership of an agribusiness or agriculture-related organization. Proficiency awards are given out at the local, state and national levels.

Here in 2018, Oklahoma had 21 finalists vying for national honors in the Proficiency categories- and four of them were named national champions on Friday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis at the 91st National Convention of the FFA. The four winners placed Oklahoma third on a state basis- behind Georgia and Ohio.

The winner of the 2018 Home and/or Community Development Entrepreneurship/Placement is Wyatt Hancock of the Oologah FFA Chapter.

Like many Americans, Wyatt has had his life touched by cancer. After losing his grandmother to the illness, he started volunteering with Tenaciously Teal, a non-profit that provides comfort during health care treatments. He’s organized five events to collect items for care packs and blankets that have been given to patients. He assembled more than 800 cancer care packs with items needed to support those experiencing chemotherapy.

Hancock is supported by his FFA advisors Sammy Leonard and Kadie Smith.

Moments after hearing his name called on the FFA Convention stage, Hancock talked with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays about his program that led to this national championship.

Listen to their conversation by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.

Once again, we are taking pictures in and around the 2018 National FFA Convention- click or tap here to check out the National Convention Album on FLICKR. By the way- we continue a tradition as several state officers of the Oklahoma FFA will be taking pictures for us during the course of the meeting.

Our exclusive coverage of the 2018 National FFA Convention in Indianapolis October 24-27 is a service of ITC Great Plains, Your Energy Superhighway- learn more about this high voltage, transmission only utility and their commitment to the communities they serve which is the cornerstone of their business - Click or tap here for their webpage. We also appreciate the support of the Oklahoma FFA Association and the Oklahoma FFA Alumni Association. Click or tap here for more information about one of the top states in the US in the FFA- the Oklahoma FFA Association. FFA is a student organization for high school-aged students interested in agriculture and leadership. Oklahoma FFA impacts the lives of over 27,000 members in 359 chapters across the state.

Listen to Hancock's complete conversation with Hays from Indianapolis, by clicking or tapping below.